At ten p.m., René arrives at the narrator's place after his partner confronted him about their affair. Furious that she has caused him domestic trouble, he shoves the narrator against the wall, slaps her hard, grabs her hair, and chokes her until her vision begins to fray. He releases her and theatrically announces he is leaving, lingering as if expecting an apology.

The narrator, refusing to show pain, threatens to jam a knife in his skull if he returns. The threat slips out unbidden, and she begins laughing, her mind drifting to Bruno's reflections about involuntary mental images and the cave skull with its mineral horn. René curses her as a "crazy bitch" and leaves. The narrator, suffering a worsening vascular episode that tunnels her vision, manages to bolt the door, internally dismissing René as never having been real to her.

An hour later her vision returns to normal. With the agricultural fair thirty-six hours away and her contacts confirming the plan is unchanged, she rereads the article about the federal document trove released to Nancy and the bearded boy's lawyers, noting there is no image of "Amy" and that sifting the documents will take her targets considerable time. Finally, she checks Bruno's email and discovers a new letter in his sent folder.